From Envirowiki

Bayswater Power Station is a coal fired power station in the Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia. The power station was commissioned in 1985 and is currently Australia's largest power station (by power production)^[1]. It's owned and run by Macquarie Generation

Latitude: 32.39516º S, Longitude: 150.951º

Bayswater's expected lifespan is approximately another 30 years^[2] (to ~2036, giving a total of about 50 years).

Contents 1 Electricity generation 2 Coal Consumption 2.1 Efficiency 2.2 Other Consumption 3 references

[edit] Electricity generation

Bayswater has 4 660 MW turbines, producing a total of 2.64 GW. That would be equal to about 23.1PWh of electricity/year, if running constantly at full capacity, however MaqGen says that it produces about 17 PWh/year (~73% of full capacity) - "enough to power 2 million homes"^[1] - which works out at about 8.5 MWh/annum, or 0.97kW, per house.

Bayswater and near by Lidell Power Station, supply about 40% of the state's electricity^[2]. Lidell produces 10 PWh/year^[3], meaning that Bayswater produces about a quarter for the electricity for New South Wales (Lidell about 15%).

[edit] Coal Consumption

Bayswater consumes about 8 million tonnes a year^[1] - equivalent to a small sized coal mine in the hunter region, and a little under a tenth of Newcastle's annual coal exports. That would produce approximately 21.6 million tonnes of Carbon Dioxide (assuming a factor of 2.7 coal-to-CO2).

[edit] Efficiency

Assuming an energy density of 27 Gj/tonne for black coal (middle of the range)^[4] (7.5 MWh/tonne), 8 million tonnes of coal should produce a theoretical maximum of 60 PWh. 17/60 = 28.3% efficiency. Assuming the lower end of the scale - 24 Gj/tonne (6.6 MWh/t) - Bayswater would be about 31.9% efficient.

As a point of reference, most coal power stations range from between 25% and 40% efficient.

[edit] Other Consumption

Aside from Coal, Bayswater also burns diesel to start up the turbines, and adds it to the coal when it gets too wet. Such a start-up burn can use between 200,000 and 500,000 litres of diesel according to Caltex, the diesel supplier since 2007^[5].

Bayswater has also entered into an agreement with Eastern Star Gas (in 2007) to supply 500 Petajoules of coal bed methane for combustion^[6].

[edit] references

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} http://www.macgen.com.au/GenerationPortfolio/BayswaterPowerStation.aspx
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} http://www.duap.nsw.gov.au/asp/pdf/06_0047_final_bayswate_dgs_report.pdf
3. ↑ http://www.macgen.com.au/GenerationPortfolio/LiddellPowerStation.aspx
4. ↑ Fisher, Juliya (2003). "Energy Density of Coal". The Physics Factbook. Retrieved on 2008-09-13.
5. ↑ "The power generator, keeping our lights on". The Star (Caltex.com.au) (2007). Retrieved on 2008-09-13.
6. ↑ Geoscience Australia; Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, Minerals Council of Australia (2008). "Coal Bed Methane". Australian Mines Atlas. Retrieved on 2008-09-13.